Commanding the US Military

Hey, I'm trying to understand the interface between the government and the military. I was wondering if anyone could explain which branch of the government is in charge of commanding the US military? It's for an assignment I have for my civics class.

The U.S. military operates under the authority of the federal government, and the two pivotal positions in this command structure are the President and the Secretary of Defense.

The President of the United States, as defined by the Constitution, acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. This means that the President bears the ultimate responsibility for the defense of the country and has the authority to command the military.

However, the day-to-day operations and administration of the armed forces falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense. The head of the Department of Defense is the Secretary of Defense, who is appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. The Secretary of Defense acts as the principal defense advisor to the President.

Furthermore, each branch of the military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force) has its own secretary who oversees its specific operations. These Secretaries (for example, the Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Air Force, and so on) report to the Secretary of Defense.

Remember, while the President has the power to command the military, the usage of this power is balanced by Congress, which holds the authority to declare war and approves the military's budget. This sets up a system of checks and balances which is crucial to U.S. governance.